Frequently, designers have the need to record and later analyze the content of a signal of interest. This is particularly true of signals originating in the broadband acoustic spectrum where a considerable number of parameters affect the constituency of the spectrum. One widely used analysis technique relies upon a tape recorder which monitors the signal of interest and stores it for later analysis. While this has proven satisfactory for some applications, those making precise analyses recognize that, in addition to being unduly time consuming, a recycled, recorded tape cannot exactly reproduce a time sequence signal. The tape motion and other mechanical irregularities inherent in the system make it impossible to repeat the exact time cycle. In addition, an electro-mechanical reproduction also influences the reproduced validity required for exacting analysis. Changing the rate of the tape-reproduced data often times is not exact enough for some types of detailed analysis where designers need to more closely examine the spectral content, for example. It is hard for mechanical couplings to speed up or decrease the playback speed so that a precise, reproducible analysis may follow.
Thus, there is a continuing need in the state-of-the-art for an apparatus which allows the sampling of a broadband acoustic signal that does not introduce distortion into the sampled signal and allows a recycled retrieval and display of stored information at different speeds to provide for a more detailed analysis of its signal content.